Max tender towing weight

[ric992]

I definitely want a small boat to take with me this year and going back and forth as to what type to get and best way to bring it along. I want to do several Bahamas trips from FL. I want to get one before boating season really heats up. Between an inflatable RIB for swim platform (mine is about 14.5 ft wide) or to tow a small fiberglass center console 15 to 17 feet at 1200 to 1400lbs. A pioneer 17 with 115hp is one I'm looking at or a 11ft rib with 15hp on platform. Some of the RIBs I've seen, seem pretty steep for what they are. I would prefer a fiberglass 15 or 17 if its not too much of a pain to try a tow it. looking for suggestions

 

[ttmott]

I definitely want a small boat to take with me this year and going back and forth as to what type to get and best way to bring it along. I want to do several Bahamas trips from FL. I want to get one before boating season really heats up. Between an inflatable RIB for swim platform (mine is about 14.5 ft wide) or to tow a small fiberglass center console 15 to 17 feet at 1200 to 1400lbs. A pioneer 17 with 115hp is one I'm looking at or a 11ft rib with 15hp on platform. Some of the RIBs I've seen, seem pretty steep for what they are. I would prefer a fiberglass 15 or 17 if its not too much of a pain to try a tow it. looking for suggestions

How many times have you been across the gulf stream?

 

[Gofirstclass]

OK, as one who lives in the PNW and had only heard of the gulf stream, I'm curious about that question? Is that somewhat akin to crossing the Columbia Bar?

What are you suggesting?

 

[ttmott]

You can start a trip across on glass smooth seas and then be in 5 to 8's on the other side. I'd never tow across without a plan B is what I'm saying. The nominal seas are 2 to 3's with longer periods.
Consider a center console dinghy flipping over behind the boat in 4 foot seas; I simply don't know how you would get it turned back over; it would probably be a cut-away loss.

 

[ocgrant]

I have done it several times in the pacific crossing to Catalina towing the Novurania behind my old Princess. Yes sometimes smooth sailing 2-3 and others gets shitty 5-8. When the shitty part happens you have to slow your roll and shorten the tow bridle to 1/2 or less of the normal. obviously your speed is much slower in crappy seas and yes you have to have a back up plan for sure as make no mistake mother nature can be a real bitch. I always had my teenage sons and only one time did we have to disconnect and they took the dinghy solo behind us for half the ride back to Newport. To them it was cool, for me... little stressfull. Either way Tom is right weather plays a key roll in towing. And here in south Florida it can change on a dime so having a plan is critical. I would ony tow a inflatable RIB, if I have to deal with it flipping I am pretty confident it will be easier to right vs a whaler ot something else. Not to mention if it does turn to shit I can get the inflatable close enough to the boat to transfer without fiberglas on fiberglass. Having someone else on the boat strong enough to adjust lines is a must as you cannot leave the helm, and getting the bridle just right is critical to both smooth and rough running. Just my opinion from my experience.

 

[Woody]

I'm trying to think the scenario through. If things are getting rough the last thing I'd want to have is someone on the swim platform struggling to adjust tow lines that could be tugging back or trying to drag a dinghy that might be partially full of water up on the platform. The dinghy would be enough a headache, wouldn't want a MOB too.

 

[ttmott]

I'm trying to think the scenario through. If things are getting rough the last thing I'd want to have is someone on the swim platform struggling to adjust tow lines that could be tugging back or trying to drag a dinghy that might be partially full of water up on the platform. The dinghy would be enough a headache, wouldn't want a MOB too.

Yea, you are right about that, open rough seas with the boat slogging and crew on the swim platform trying to get the dinghy straightened out - not good. For a couple making the crossing like we do many times we simply don't take those chances. Anyone that's been on open water knows exactly that the swim platform is the last place people need to be underway. Hence my comment - have you ever made the crossing....

 

[ttmott]

I thought I'd throw this out there also -
Several years ago, jeez more like six years ago we were in Chubb Cay; Chubb had us slipped a couple down from a Viking 92EB. That boat was rigged to tow a 38CC which was their fishing boat and slipped next to them. In talking to them the crew runs the CC over to Bimini or Chubb from West Palm then they tow to the fishing locations from there. So, even in at a large scale there are decisions when and when not to tow...

 

[Woody]

Yea, you are right about that, open rough seas with the boat slogging and crew on the swim platform trying to get the dinghy straightened out - not good. For a couple making the crossing like we do many times we simply don't take those chances. Anyone that's been on open water knows exactly that the swim platform is the last place people need to be underway. Hence my comment - have you ever made the crossing....

My boating has only been on Lake Superior so not familiar with the gulf stream but I do have plenty of time in shitty seas. Normally it's only my wife and I on the boat. I've gone over all the 'what if's' many times. The best thing I come up with in a lot of situations is to try to prevent them to start with.

 

[swaterhouse]

I had a diver clear some debris from my prop a couple of years ago early in the season. He had just returned from recovering a 40ish Center Console that had been under tow off of Nantucket while a yacht was positioning up to ME for the summer and rolled in big seas. They cut the tow and abandoned it. The captain of the yacht docked behind me overheard our conversation about it and chimed in that his insurance wouldn't cover towing of the tender, when they do it its 100% at risk. That was one thing when a big center console was a couple hundred grand, but these days big yacht tenders are around a million.

Towing would be my absolute last resort.

 

[ric992]

Thanks for all the input, I have crossed gulf steam around 15 to 20 times. I have been very fortunate to encounter pretty mild seas. ( except once) I have a 45 mile crossing and always watch weather carefully. I have been thinking and a small RIB on the platform to cross is the way to go. I'm looking forward to having one for future times in the clear water of the Bahamas!!